247 - Mistress, I Was Wrong

### Chapter 247: Division (1) When Qian Wanyu helped Dongfang Minghui return, the atmosphere among the group was noticeably strange. Qian Yiling and Qian Ziyan had subtle smiles, their expressions hard to decipher, somewhere between amusement and resignation. Yu Chi Shou, however, burst into uproarious laughter, unabashedly amused by whatever he had heard. Of all of them, the most composed were Lien, Xiao Miao, and Little Fatty, though their shoulders shook in barely contained laughter, disrupting the semblance of normalcy. Dongfang Minghui found the atmosphere peculiar. After scanning everyone's faces, she noticed Mu Sheng sitting alone with his back to them, by the water's edge. Every now and then, someone would glance at Mu Sheng with barely noticeable sympathy or schadenfreude. Puzzled, she asked, "Mu Sheng, what are you doing?" Zhi Lan couldn't help but chuckle, then quickly covered her mouth, trying to feign seriousness after realizing her indiscretion. Ding Ding hovered next to Dongfang Minghui's shoulder, mimicking the laughter it had heard before, then spoke in a childlike voice, "Little Nine, a tooth fell out." "Hmm?" Dongfang Minghui initially thought Ding Ding was using the missing tooth as an excuse, as it often did when asking for teething sticks, mimicking Little Hui's antics. But she realized this time she had guessed wrong when Ding Ding flashed its neat row of teeth and pointed to its front tooth. Qian Yiling, seeing their confusion, coughed lightly and explained, "Ding Ding means Mu Sheng has lost a front tooth." "What?" "Mu Sheng lost a tooth?" Mu Sheng's body stiffened. If there had been a hole to crawl into, he would have jumped in to avoid the embarrassment. Dongfang Minghui still confusedly asked, "Why?" Qian Yiling shook her head with slight exasperation and pointed at the fruit in Ding Ding's hand, "It's this fruit that's caused the trouble." As everyone explained bit by bit, they understood the blunder Mu Sheng made. Qian Wanyu shook her head, somewhat ruefully. However, Dongfang Minghui took a moment longer to process and then broke into an ungracious laugh. After laughing, she approached Mu Sheng, "Mu Sheng, let me see your wound to check if your tooth can grow back." Mu Sheng thought he was doomed to live with a missing front tooth, filled with shame and anger, almost crying. Dongfang Minghui's words rekindled hope in him. He slowly turned, cautiously eyeing everyone's reactions. Yu Chi Shou, unsympathetically, burst into laughter once more. Mu Sheng quickly turned back, his face flushed with anger. Dongfang Minghui shot Yu Chi Shou a cold glare, "Everyone, turn around. No peeking." Qian Wanyu, meanwhile, took the troublesome fruit in her hand, squeezed it lightly, and found it remarkably hard. She used a bit of her spiritual power, but the fruit remained unyielding. "Mother, is this the fruit that caused Mu Sheng to lose his tooth?" "Yes." Qian Yiling admitted with some guilt, casting a glance at Mu Sheng. "And there's more," Ding Ding said, eager to please. It held several more fruits out to Qian Wanyu, all of which it seemed to have gathered, "For you." Qian Wanyu had seen these green fruits before. Ding Ding often used them to play tricks on Little Hui. She had always assumed they were ordinary fruits. She attempted to smash one on the ground, but it remained intact, as did the ground. "That is strange." "Ah." Ding Ding, seeing her deep in thought, flew back to Dongfang Minghui’s side, pleading, "Little Nine, teething stick." Dongfang Minghui couldn't help but smile. She checked Mu Sheng's mouth and noticed his tooth was indeed missing. "Mu Sheng, are you sure you bit a fruit and not a piece of iron?" Mu Sheng, on the verge of tears, had only thought the fruit looked peculiar and decided to test it, losing his tooth in the process. Qian Wanyu played with the fruit, looking around thoughtfully at everyone, before unexpectedly tossing one at Ding Ding. "Thud—" Ding Ding, caught off guard, was hit directly, falling from Dongfang Minghui's shoulder with a loud noise. Everyone was stunned by the sound, staring at Qian Wanyu in disbelief. Ding Ding lay on the ground, hugging the fruit, motionless for quite a while. Dongfang Minghui was startled, crouching down quickly, "Ding Ding." Mu Sheng gaped, forgetting to cover his missing tooth. "Seventh Sister, what are you doing?" "I conducted an experiment." Qian Wanyu was well aware of Ding Ding's resilience, calmly crouching beside it, poking it gently. She retrieved the fruit Ding Ding had been clutching. "I often see you use this fruit on Little Hui without any issue. How come you had such a reaction this time?" Moreover, she hadn't used much strength. Ding Ding leapt up, searching for the culprit. It saw Qian Wanyu, arms akimbo, and pouted, "You're mean, that was a sneak attack!" Qian Wanyu grabbed it firmly, bringing it up to her face, "Ding Ding, did it hurt just now?" Ding Ding's eyes darted around, slightly evasive. Dongfang Minghui poked its belly with a finger, "Does it hurt?" Ding Ding immediately embraced her finger, whining, "It hurts, a little." Qian Wanyu tossed the fruit in her hand, then hurled it repeatedly against the water and trees. The results were unchanged; apart from Mu Sheng's tooth and the noise from Ding Ding, nothing else seemed affected. "What is Seventh Sister up to?" "No idea." Qian Yiling exchanged a worried look with Qian Ziyan. Together, they walked to Qian Wanyu's side, "Yu'er, is something on your mind?" Qian Wanyu continued toying with the fruits. "Mother, Uncle, there's something I need to tell everyone." --- "I suspect that where we are now is the reverse side of a mirror." "I've never heard of any mirror." Qian Wanyu explained to everyone again, only for Yu Chi Shou to come to this conclusion. "Maybe your ancestors didn't expect you to end up in dragon territory and decided it was best not to mention it," she countered optimistically. "Agreed." Yu Chi Shou conceded readily, "We could have just asked Little Hui for answers instead of wasting time." Qian Wanyu glanced at Little Hui. It was unexpected, this creature that showed up as Ninth Sister mentioned, it could cure poison despite its foulness. But whether this white-haired Little Hui and the other are the same is uncertain. "Yu'er, if we're really on the mirror's reverse side, how do we reach dragon territory?" Qian Yiling voiced her doubts. "By breaking this mirror." How would they break it? They didn't even know where the mirror was. Yu Chi Shou initially intended to ignore external matters, focusing solely on his young master. Realizing, however, that walking the reverse side of a mirror meant they might never leave, he grew concerned about finding dragon territory. "If there's a mirror, there’s always another side. Can't we just get to the right side?" Dongfang Minghui suggested, her eyes drooping with exhaustion, leaning against Qian Wanyu and tugging on her sleeve, "Seventh Sister, let me lean on you for a while." With understanding, Qian Wanyu let Dongfang Minghui rest her head on her leg, covering her tenderly with a piece of clothing. "So currently—" Yu Chi Shou was about to speak when Qian Wanyu shot a glance his way. "Mother, I'll take care of this. All of you should return to the Longevity Cauldron and guard Toothless." "Yu'er." "Shh, Mother, let's discuss this later. You all should go back inside the Longevity Cauldron first. I'll call upon you when I need help." Qian Yiling had more to say, but Qian Ziyan tugged her back. He murmured something to her, leaving Qian Yiling reluctantly looking at the two youngsters, "Alright." Everyone returned to the Longevity Cauldron once more, including Little Fatty and Little Bean Sprout. Recently, Dongfang Minghui had been in a daze, caught between a dream state and reality, unsure if it was Zhuang Zhou dreaming of being a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of being Zhuang Zhou. She often dreamed of the modern world, wearing a white coat, the smell of antiseptic in the air, standing over an operating table watching wounded people being carried in and, eventually, covered with white sheets to be carried out. The scene would shift to memories of her youth, meeting Seventh Sister, and she found herself irresistibly wanting to torment the seemingly gentle yet sinister Qian Wanyu, who always seemed to harbor a killer instinct beneath her composed exterior, thus making the torment worse. "Woosh—" Dongfang Minghui's heart raced as she suddenly sat up, startling Little Hui and the idle Little Color beside her. A breeze brushed against her, bringing a chill that jolted her fully awake. Her back was damp with cold sweat, and the wind had only intensified the chill. "Finally awake," Little Color sighed with relief, staring at her. Accustomed to Ding Ding's constant chatter, the sudden silence felt unsettling. Dongfang Minghui only then realized that apart from her, Little Hui, and Little Color, there was no one else around. She tried standing up, but a wave of dizziness overcame her soul sea, and she barely managed to steady herself. "Did I sleep long? Where did Seventh Sister and Ding Ding go?" Little Color counted its fingers, "Quite a while, about three to five days." "So long?!" "Your soul sea was attacked by Little Bean Sprout, plus you expended spiritual energy and were poisoned. Your body is very weak," Little Color explained truthfully. "Your Seventh Sister wanted to place you in the Longevity Cauldron but feared the ice coffin and ice spring pearls inside would weaken your body further." Dongfang Minghui glanced around, "Where are Ding Ding and Seventh Sister?" Little Color shrugged, "They went to find food; you need to replenish your nutrition." In this place devoid of living creatures, even the simplest fruit was a luxury. Dongfang Minghui, still in a fog, didn't sense anything odd in Little Color's words and muttered an absent-minded acknowledgment as she sat back down. Dongfang Minghui sat cross-legged, intending to cultivate and at least not lag behind when they departed. "This forest lacks sufficient spiritual energy for cultivation," Little Color said, casting a complex look at her. Seeing she had forgotten what happened previously, it repeated, "We are on the mirror's reverse side; everything here is almost an illusion." Startled, Dongfang Minghui stared at Little Color, then tried sensing energy herself but detected nothing. "Could it really be fake?" Dongfang Minghui was perplexed. Her cultivation method was slightly different from others; any forest should yield spiritual energy for her to absorb, and her body would automatically absorb gentle wood-element spiritual energy. Since arriving at the Ice Lotus Mountain, this natural absorption had dwindled because there wasn't a single living plant nearby. She hadn’t thought much of it, but now everything seemed mysterious. "Yes, it's fake," Little Color admitted, initially skeptical until Qian Wanyu demonstrated through facts. "Ugh, then my recovery might be slower," Dongfang Minghui felt disheartened, upset she was still falling behind. She extracted some spirit liquid and elixirs rich in spiritual energy from her space, feeling her pale complexion improve slightly, "Little Color, did I remember wrong?" "Hmm?" Little Color looked at her, confused. "Why does it seem like the spirit liquid and elixirs in my space have diminished?" Dongfang Minghui wondered if she had simply misremembered. Little Color rolled its eyes, "You must have misremembered. I haven’t even questioned where you’ve hidden my water beast!" Feeling guilty, Dongfang Minghui mumbled without retort. Suddenly recalling the white-haired people's herb gathering process, she curiously poked the curled-up Little Hui. Little Hui lifted its head, its beady black eyes brimming with sleepiness, looking adorably groggy, prompting her to poke it twice more. As she checked Little Hui's previous abdominal wound, she found it healed, with new skin formed. "Little Hui, your wound has healed." Little Color glanced disdainfully at Little Hui—closed off as it had been, somehow yet another odd creature like this, neither snake nor anything normal with its two claws, was found. Sensing its disdain, Little Hui opened its mouth wide, displaying its cavernous maw. Little Color found it even uglier this way. "Hey, Little Hui, you've grown teeth," she noted, seeing two small white buds emerging. Boldly, she reached out to touch them; they felt quite hard, freshly emerged. "See, losing teeth isn't a big deal. They've grown back, haven't they?" Little Hui kept its mouth open until she withdrew her hand, then quickly opened it wide again. Dongfang Minghui was taken aback, realizing her space's teething sticks were missing. She had intentionally saved five. How could they be gone? "Little Hui, you've eaten all the teething sticks. Do you know where I can find more spirit herbs nearby? I can make you some." Little Hui raised its long body slightly, its height exceeding that of Dongfang Minghui, who was crouched beside it, seemingly looking down at her. Little Color was on guard, "Minghui, search for more herbs later. It's better to wait for your Seventh Sister to return." "Right, otherwise, if we all leave, Seventh Sister won't find us." "Exactly." --- When Qian Wanyu returned, Dongfang Minghui had fallen asleep against a tree, her hair slightly tousled, cheeks flushed with a healthy hue, appearing even more vibrant than when they left her. Little Color was on watch, while Little Hui had retracted its head. Qian Wanyu walked past them, scooping Dongfang Minghui into her embrace. Despite this, Minghui didn't awaken, brows furrowed as if in discomfort. Gently, Qian Wanyu tried smoothing out the wrinkles on her forehead, "How long did she stay awake this time?" Little Color's expression turned solemn, "Almost an hour, longer than before. But... each time, she doesn't remember having awoken previously. She even forgot about giving teething sticks to Mu Sheng." Qian Wanyu's eyes turned even darker, while the tactful Ding Ding remained quiet, resting on Dongfang Minghui's other shoulder, either touching her face with its little hand or nestling against her cheek. Seven days ago, she had allowed Minghui a short nap due to her fatigue, yet upon waking, Minghui had no recollection of the poisoning incident, her memory trapped at the moment they discovered the white-haired Hui people. Each time she woke up thereafter, she would ask strange, repetitive questions she couldn’t remember. "Based on the current situation, the toxin seemed to be neutralized," Little Color said, having examined her soul sea with the Pig Immortal Grass. Besides minor aftereffects from Little Bean Sprout's sound attack, there were no other issues. Qian Wanyu warmed Minghui's cool hand within her robe and released a thread of spiritual energy into her body for inspection. Oddly, Minghui's body emitted a luminescent green glow, stunningly beautiful and alluring. Qian Wanyu resisted its temptation, focusing resolutely on her examination. Finding nothing strange, she withdrew. Little Color, seeing her open her eyes, asked anxiously, "Did you find anything?" Qian Wanyu shook her head, lips forming a thin line, "No, actually, Ninth Sister's condition is slightly improved from the previous days. The spiritual energy within her is becoming more abundant, as if—" "As if what?" "As if she's on the verge of advancing." Little Color looked at her incredulously. Sighing, Qian Wanyu was helpless; even the person in question was unclear about what was happening with her. She found no root cause for Minghui’s excessive sleep. "We’ll wait a few more days." Little Color pondered her words, then asked, "Did you discover anything after going down?" "We did," Ding Ding, not wishing to disturb Minghui, flew to Little Color's side to demonstrate, "Those baddies all gathered in a cave, trembling." Little Color had no clue what Ding Ding meant. Qian Wanyu glanced at Little Hui, patiently explaining, "Ding Ding means the big Hui were frightened upon seeing us descend, all huddled together, trembling. Did you notice if they attempted another ambush?" To this end, Qian Wanyu had set up a small array to protect them as long as they stayed within its boundaries. Little Color shook its head, "Minghui wanted to follow Little Hui to search for spirit herbs." For making teething sticks... "Ridiculous!" Qian Wanyu softly scolded, wishing she could wake the little one in her arms to prevent her from being consumed by such trivialities. "Indeed, it is somewhat reckless." Little Color naturally didn't agree either, but the reason for the antics was simply a lack of understanding of the situation, wasn't it? Qian Wanyu took a deep breath and glanced at Little Hui, "Little Hui." Little Hui blinked its slightly crossed eyes, puzzled about what she intended to say. "If Ninth Sister mentions searching for spirit herbs again, you must refuse her, understood?" "Hiss—" "Never mind, since we need to investigate why the path splits into two, let's take Ninth Sister down to experience life below." With her mind made up, Qian Wanyu quickly dismantled the formation and tied Dongfang Minghui to her back with the Immortal Binding Rope. Turning, she could see Ninth Sister’s face, slightly flushed, which finally put her at ease. Little Color couldn't help but roll its eyes; these two were really quite inseparable. Once the group descended, the white-haired Little Hui appeared before them. Little Hui coiled its body, watching the white-haired Little Hui with cautious eyes, as the two identical faces stared each other down. Little Color observed, amused, switching its gaze between Little Hui and the white-haired Little Hui, "Are they the same?" As soon as it spoke, the two creatures stopped glaring at each other and turned to look at Little Color with their four beady black eyes, making it feel very uncomfortable. "Smash the baddies," Ding Ding muttered, still bothered by its past inability to contribute. The group of white-haired people, upon seeing Qian Wanyu and Ding Ding, retreated into the cave, frightened. Little Color smirked, "What have you done to be so terrifying that they shake at the mere sight of you?" Qian Wanyu ignored its sarcastic tone, feeling a bit sorry for Ninth Sister for forming a contract with such a peculiar plant, "You’re mistaken, I didn’t do anything to them." Although she had thought about wiping out this group, their cowardly demeanor drained her interest. Ding Ding nodded fervently, "Yes, yes, smash the baddies." Qian Wanyu was equally perplexed, aside from a weak lightning strike for medicine, she had done nothing, yet they acted as if they'd seen a ghost. "There must be something unusual about it," Little Color mused, "Can’t we figure out what they're saying?" "It’s possible." Qian Wanyu gestured to Ding Ding, "Throw out Yu Chi Shou." Ding Ding was delighted with this type of game and swiftly tossed the unprepared Yu Chi Shou, who had been teasing Lien, onto the ground, ordering bluntly, "Smash the baddies." Yu Chi Shou was bewildered, taking a moment to realize what was happening, "What do you need help with?" Qian Wanyu gestured towards the cave, "There’s a group of white-haired Hui people there. Can you understand what they're saying?" Yu Chi Shou looked at the two identical Little Huis and examined their faces repeatedly, then looked around as if realizing, "Is this what you referred to as the mirror's surface? Are we on the right side now?" "Yes." "And what are these?" Yu Chi Shou pointed to Little Hui and the white-haired Little Hui. They were nearly identical except for their body structures. Qian Wanyu shrugged, "Maybe after speaking to them, you’ll know." Tsk tsk, indeed curious; the surroundings were almost identical, yet there were multiple Hui-made openings, similar in layout to the cave system they'd discovered underwater. Yu Chi Shou provocatively said to Little Hui, "Hey little guy, dare to come with me? Watch how I deal with your tribesmen, you’re just a bunch of cowardly reptiles." Little Hui darted over and landed a punch on Yu Chi Shou, towering over him. Despite its punch landing short, Yu Chi Shou reacted quickly, dodging and catching its fist with ease, slightly applying pressure until bones cracked audibly. "Hiss—" Yu Chi Shou paused, surprised, "Oh, you can talk. Say something." Little Hui glared at him with fierce eyes, as if facing an enemy. The white-haired Hui next to them clenched its fists, preparing to attack. Qian Wanyu quickly interrupted, "Yu Chi Shou, if you keep fooling around, you'll waste Toothless' time." At her words, Yu Chi Shou reluctantly released Little Hui's hand, "You’ve got spunk, little fellow. Refuse to talk? I doubt every Hui has lips of steel. Alright, back to business, no one obstruct me." "Fine." Qian Wanyu was certain Yu Chi Shou could understand the Hui language. She exchanged a glance with Little Color, who nodded and repositioned itself, standing to Little Hui’s right, blocking the white-haired Hui’s view. Ding Ding followed Yu Chi Shou into the cave. Qian Wanyu knew the cave's stench wouldn't be suitable for Dongfang Minghui, sleeping on her back, so she stayed outside the cave, listening carefully. Little Color, with a sharper sense of smell than hers, had caught the stench upon descending and wisely stayed out. Little Hui coiled itself, lost in thought, while the white-haired Hui looked down dejectedly. "Cough, cough, I’m being suffocated here," Yu Chi Shou exclaimed. Having never explored a Hui den underwater, the cave's pungent odor was a surprise, lingering and nearly overwhelming him. "Smash the baddies," Ding Ding didn’t mind. Its main intention was to watch the show and seek revenge for Little Nine. Sounds of loud wailing and curses echoed from within, the shrill cries of the Hui piercing through. To an outsider, it might sound as though a grisly scene was unfolding. In reality, Yu Chi Shou released a small amount of fire-type spiritual power, the heat of which brought despair to the water-type Huis. Coupled with intentionally leaking Dragon Clan pressure, the Huis, already terrorized by Qian Wanyu and Ding Ding, huddled in fright. Yu Chi Shou circled the frightened Hui, singling out one timid individual from within, "I'll give you a choice: answer my questions truthfully, and you'll keep your lives. Refuse, and your clan will face extinction. Understood?" Qian Wanyu’s eyes shifted slightly, glancing at the unreactive Little Hui. Listening, she heard Yu Chi Shou start to list his questions. For example: Do you know where the Dragon Clan’s territory is? Or: Why are there Hui people outside the ravine and also here? Are you the same race? And: Why is there such a strange mirror here? What is its origin? One question followed another. Outside, everyone held their breath and listened. Inside, the Hui hissed incomprehensibly, interspersed with Yu Chi Shou’s domineering threats, until finally, "Take us there," was heard from Yu Chi Shou, marking the end of their "interrogation." Other than Yu Chi Shou, no one else understood. They only saw Yu Chi Shou bringing out a white-haired Hui, familiar from before—the one that had lured Dongfang Minghui and her with herbs and lost half an arm to a single lightning bolt. Qian Wanyu observed the white-haired Hui quickly glance at the white-haired Little Hui, hatred brimming in its eyes, then gape at the curled-up Little Hui, its gaze intense. Had Yu Chi Shou not been holding it, it might have lunged. "What did they say?" "They claimed they've lived here for many years, since their ancestors. They discovered a mirror-like object on the mountain, and their world split into two. The Hui Clan here also split in two, with the beast-like forms cast out while the others became like this." Ding Ding, exhausted from flying, settled on Dongfang Minghui's shoulder, watching her sleep. Eventually, it yawned, drifting into slumber itself. Qian Wanyu remained vigilant, noting Ding Ding had fallen asleep and was now tugging Minghui's hair. She promptly had Little Color move it elsewhere, “So you mean the beast-like Hui that attacked us are actually them?” Little Color cast a surprised glance at Little Hui and the white-haired Hui. "Yes, they claimed their souls were violently split in two halves, remaining alert afterward. One half rests in the beast form, another in them, connected yet unable to meet," Yu Chi Shou scoffed, "I think they’re lying. No one’s soul can split like that. Even Lord Dragon cannot divide a soul sea into two separate beings." Qian Wanyu suddenly recalled her illusion technique and the senior who appeared in the Dragon Trapped Valley with more than a dozen manifestations simultaneously. The world is vast and full of wonders. The disbelief likely stemmed from the fear of accepting such possibilities. "And what else?" "They really irritate me," Yu Chi Shou grumbled about the Hui clan's cowardice before finally addressing the point. "They said they didn't mean to lure you away. They hoped whoever was with you could heal their injured kin, and this creature's brother was among them. Seeing this little one healed, they decided to try their luck." "Hmm?" This confirmed one of her suspicions: they had been watching them through their side and saw Ninth Sister's relentless care for Little Hui. They wanted to borrow her skills, but something went wrong; their sleep-inducing drug turned into poison, and they underestimated Little Fatty and the group's combat ability. Qian Wanyu was puzzled, "I injured their kindred?" Yu Chi Shou laughed heartily at her confused look, "Exactly. I found it unbelievable too. They said that outside the ravine, if their beast forms died, they'd die too. This creature's brother might've been one of the injured; he probably survived but was eventually killed by you, whether accidentally or otherwise." Little Color glanced knowingly at Qian Wanyu, "No wonder they fear you like a plague. You actually killed their kin." Qian Wanyu: "..." The white-haired Little Hui silently followed them, head bowed, listening intently. Quickly dismissing these thoughts, Qian Wanyu recalled the context. They had blocked the path by the ravine, hindering her and Ding Ding's progress, compelling her to use force. Today, if someone stands in the way of her quest for the Dragon Clan's land, she'd have no hesitation in acting. She soon abandoned her misplaced guilt, "You mentioned something that caused them to split into two separate beings. What was it?" Yu Chi Shou nudged the Hui, "What was it?" The Hui, possessing only one arm, nearly fell from the force. It glared at him angrily, as if looks could kill. But for Yu Chi Shou, creatures like this weren't worth consideration; he hardly even respected humans. "Stare all you want; if you keep it up, I'll torch your entire cave." Little Color watched as the Hui babbled, its voice subdued and less aggressive now, though it distrusted the Hui freshly bereaved of its brother. "It said it doesn't know. The older generation warned them never to seek it, nor to leave the area. It doesn't want to continue with us," Yu Chi Shou translated dutifully. Qian Wanyu looked at Little Hui, "Little Hui, have you heard of this tale?" The white-haired Little Hui lifted its head and nodded lightly at Qian Wanyu, before returning to its enigmatically silent demeanor. The other Little Hui, dragging its body forward, revealed only its tail outside its coils. "Take it with us." "Understand this, if you don't lead us, you're as good as dead. Lead us, and maybe I’ll let you return," Yu Chi Shou half-threatened, seeing the armless Hui reluctantly lead them onward. The journey was peaceful, with no pursuit from the white-haired Hui. The scene resembled when Ding Ding whisked Little Hui away, prompting Qian Wanyu to ponder. Deep in thought, she watched the two identical Little Huis until the person on her back stirred awake. "Ugh." Dongfang Minghui didn’t know how long she'd slept but felt comfortable, likely due to the warm back shielding her from the cold wind, rhythmically swaying. She had a light, pleasant dream but forgot it upon waking, yet her mood was good. Recognizing the familiar scent and warmth of spiritual energy circulating through her limbs, she didn't open her eyes, satisfied in knowing who carried her. "Awake?" "Seventh Sister." Opening her eyes, she realized she was on Seventh Sister's back while they were still moving. "Seventh Sister, please put me down." Qian Wanyu shook her head, "You've just awoken. Rest a bit, and I’ll set you down when we take a break." Dongfang Minghui didn’t protest further; her body felt weak. She first noticed Little Color, then looked at Yu Chi Shou ahead with two white-haired Huis and said anxiously, "Seventh Sister, they—" "They’ve agreed to guide us," Little Color explained, less than satisfactorily. "Oh." After a moment, she processed, "Hui, what about Little Hui?" The mentioned Little Hui quietly followed, its tail worn and bloodied, yet stubbornly dragging forward. Dongfang Minghui gasped, tapping Seventh Sister urgently, "Seventh Sister, Little Hui is injured; it can't walk here." Qian Wanyu’s eyes lingered on the white-haired Hui, "Let the white-haired one carry it so we can all save time." Without hesitation, the white-haired Hui gathered Little Hui, wrapping it around itself, and moved to lead them, maintaining a distance from Yu Chi Shou. Dongfang Minghui was astonished by the two identical faces, "Seventh Sister, am I seeing double?" "No." Qian Wanyu asked her a few routine questions. This time even Little Hui sensed something was amiss, refraining from asking for teething sticks, knowing they weren't available. "Seventh Sister, why is the spirit liquid in my space gone again? Did the Pig Immortal Grass eat it secretly?" The Pig Immortal Grass nervously twitched its tail in silence, taking the blame. Engaging in a whispered conspiracy, Little Color muttered, "Yeah, the Pig Immortal Grass suddenly wanted to cultivate, trying to defeat Xiu Qi, using up the liquid and pills quickly." But actually, it was you who consumed it all. Everyone maintained secrecy. Yu Chi Shou glanced back curiously, scratching his head at this odd dynamic. Dongfang Minghui wasn’t petty. Seeing the Pig Immortal Grass’s cultivation, she started strategizing extensively for it. Ultimately, she concluded, "Seventh Sister, I need to find more spirit herbs; the liquid isn’t enough. Oh, where could my teething sticks have gone?" At the mention of teething sticks, Little Hui turned instinctively, its beady black eyes looking at her. Examining the dozing Ding Ding on Little Color’s head, Dongfang Minghui speculated that between the two companions, one must have eaten them. Little Hui was so obedient, and Ding Ding, so mischievous, "Ding Ding must have eaten them." Little Hui blinked quickly, thinking, let the misunderstanding stand. To Qian Wanyu, this version of Ninth Sister was endearing, yet a sliver of worry crept in. When would Ninth Sister fully recover her memories or regain her health? This couldn’t last forever. After two days, they picked a spot to rest. Dongfang Minghui, thinking it was only one day since she hadn’t walked, felt energized. The white-haired Little Hui and the one-armed Hui collapsed nearby, panting heavily. They lay close, glaring at each other until the white-haired Hui chose a spot near Dongfang Minghui, lying down unceremoniously. Little Hui extended its tail, presenting its wound for Dongfang Minghui to inspect. "Little Hui, do you want me to apply medicine?" Dongfang Minghui smiled as she retrieved a pill to heal Little Hui. Little Hui lazily rested on the soft grass, reveling in the relief from friction. It then flicked its tail against the white-haired Hui's bare feet. The latter, with bloodied soles, had wounds remarkably similar to Little Hui’s abrasions. "Little Hui, do you want me to heal it too?" Little Hui nodded. Dongfang Minghui tended to the white-haired Hui's feet, discovering a red mark on its waist. Pulling the garment slightly aside, she noted, "Little Hui, the injuries on this white-haired Hui resemble yours." Coincidence or not, both their foot and waist injuries were identical. She suddenly thought of a possibility and began comparing Little Hui's wounds with those on the white-haired Hui, scrutinizing each injury. The conclusion was astonishing. Every wound was identical! The realization struck her like a ton of bricks, making her gasp at the implications of such uncanny symmetry.